| Citizens and Subjects: An Essay on British Politics Contributor(s): Wright, Tony (Author) |
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ISBN: 0415049644 ISBN-13: 9780415049641 Publisher: Routledge OUR PRICE: $65.50 Product Type: Paperback - Other Formats Published: November 1993 Annotation: "Citizens and Subjects" is an essay on the nature and condition of democracy in Britain at the end of the twentieth century. Tony Wright examines the commonly held view that Britain is a model democracy and exposes it as a dangerous myth that inhibits both radical thought and constitutional change. He reveals the wide gulf between the tradition of political and constitutional thought in Britain and the contemporary political reality. In the last few years, constitutional issues have reappeared on the political agenda in Britain. "Citizens" "and Subjects" discusses the reforms necessary to convert Britain's centralized and closed system into a pluralistic and participatory democracy. Wright argues that practical reforms will only be possible when linked to a new tradition of radical constitutional thought. |
| Additional Information |
| BISAC Categories: - History | Europe - Great Britain - General - Political Science |
| Dewey: 941.085 |
| LCCN: 93012965 |
| Lexile Measure: 1550 |
| Physical Information: 0.51" H x 5.52" W x 8.62" (0.52 lbs) 166 pages |
| Themes: - Cultural Region - British Isles |
| Descriptions, Reviews, Etc. |
| Publisher Description: Citizens and Subjects is an essay on the nature and condition of democracy in Britain at the end of the twentieth century. It looks at the commonly held view that Britain is a model democracy, exposing it as a dangerous myth that inhibits both radical thought and actual constitutional change. The book looks at the tradition of political and constitutional thought in Britain and at contemporary political reality, revealing a wide gulf between the two. Dr Wright, a respected teacher and academic recently elected a Labour MP, considers Britain's particularly acute form of a general problem of modern government. While the nation thinks of itself as a liberal democracy, its liberalism was in fact in place well before democracy came onto the agenda. From the outset, democracy was seen as a problem by both conservatives and liberals. Constitutional issues have re-emerged on the political agenda in recent years. Dr Wright discusses the means by which we might move towards a pluralistic, open and participatory democracy; he also argues, however, that practical reforms will not be possible unless they are linked to a new tradition of radical constitutional thought. |